Ohio State football: The importance of Greg Schiano’s return; Urban Meyer is impressed with Chris Holtmann

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The importance of Greg Schiano at Ohio State

For a while it looked certain that Greg Schiano was going to end up at Tennessee. Then it seemed like a good bet he was joining Bill Belichick’s staff with the New England Patriots. Schiano is not going to Tennessee or New England or anywhere else in 2018. He’ll be back at Ohio State for his third season as the Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator.

No matter how that shakes out in the months ahead, simply having Schiano on staff for a third season is kind of hard to believe. It was shocking in some ways that Ohio State was able to hire him in the first place. Now the Buckeyes are in position to keep on reaping the benefits for at least one more season, thanks to Schiano’s contributions to an incredible signing day, a top-to-bottom victory for a program that has it all rolling.

Holtmann’s team is 21-5 and 12-1 in the Big Ten after the come-from-behind win at Purdue. The Buckeyes have given Ohio State fans –including Meyer — plenty to cheer about during the football offseason.

Why Ohio State’s class is pound-for-pound better than Georgia’s

Ohio State finished the 2018 recruiting cycle with the nation’s second-best class. But Georgia’s class only really beats Ohio State’s in quantity, not quality. Land of 10’s Ryan Ginn explains:

But in one crucial area ― average player rating ― Meyer’s classes finished No. 1 in each of the last two classes. Ohio State’s 2018 class averaged a 94.29 rating per player in the 247Sports composite rankings, beating Georgia and USC (each 94.23) by the slimmest of margins. One year earlier, the Buckeyes averaged 94.59 per signee, nearly a full point ahead of second-best Alabama (93.76).

Tickets on sale for Ohio State’s 2018 spring game Friday

Ohio State fans can buy tickets for the April 14 spring game starting Friday at 10 a.m. Here is the release from the Buckeyes:

Tickets for the 2018 LifeSports Spring Game, presented by Nationwide, will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday (Feb. 9) at http://go.osu.edu/18FBSpringGameTix. General admission prices are $5 plus there will be a limited number of $15 reserved club seats. Applicable service charges may apply.

The spring game will be held Saturday, April 14, with a 1:45 p.m. approximate start time. Parking is free.

Prior to the football game, Ohio State’s men’s lacrosse team, the 2017 national runners-up, will host Michigan at 11 a.m. in another exciting “Showdown at the Shoe” event. One purchased ticket will allow admission into both events.

Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets early. Construction on the west side of the stadium will reduce its seating capacity.

Nick Mangold considering run for Congress

Former Ohio State center and seven-time Pro Bowl pick Nick Mangold is considering a run for Congress. Politico reported that Mangold has been in contact with Republican officials in New Jersey about the possibility of entering a primary in a race for a U.S. House of Representatives seat. Mangold was released by the New York Jets last year and did not play in the NFL in 2017.

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